Ready for winter | The good and bad things of winter

We do not wish anyone bad luck, but the choice of winter tires looks rather limited at the time of this writing.

Eric LeFrançois
Special collaboration

Blame it on the pandemic, of course (she has a good back), which disrupted supplies.

15% to 18% more expensive

And since misfortune never comes alone, rising transportation costs will have a direct impact on the consumer. According to Tony Rosato, of Rosato Bros in Saint-Léonard, “some models are more difficult to obtain and their cost is 15% to 18% higher than last year”. And don’t count on traditional cash back rewards to lower the cost of the bill: they are virtually non-existent this year.

Better sooner than later

The pandemic (still) is also having an impact on many mechanical workshops which have to deal with a shortage of manpower. Better to have your winter tires installed sooner than later to avoid the rush. Remember that Quebec imposes winter tires on the 1^er December to March 15 of the following year.

The details that matter

If your vehicle is undergoing regular maintenance, there is no need to lift the hood. On the other hand, two elements – often neglected – deserve our attention. The first is to have the cabin filter replaced. In poor condition, it can cause the heating system to malfunction and cause poor demisting of the vehicle’s glass surfaces. The second concerns the replacement of the windshield wipers to ensure the best possible visibility. Speaking of which, polishing the headlight lenses should also be considered in this low light period.

What about the bomb?

The tire sealant that comes with some cars that don’t have a spare tire doesn’t last forever and needs to be replaced after four or five years. For large tires, provide two bombs.